TENNIS

On behalf of Goose Creek Tennis Club, we would like to welcome Alexa Bortles as our new Director of Tennis Programming. As a former Ole Miss Women’s Tennis player, Alexa was one of thirteen women in the program’s history to receive All American Honors. She was apart of the #7 nationally ranked doubles team during her time at Ole Miss, served on the SEC Community Service Team, and was the recipient of the Arthur Ashe Sportsmanship Award. With great passion for the sport, Alexa looks forward to providing an exciting on and off court experience for members of all levels; developing a high performance junior program that allows players to compete at the highest regional, national, collegiate, and pro levels; and creating a fun and thriving, club tennis culture. From Alexa:

 

“I’m thrilled to embark on this new journey and wanted to share a little about myself with all of you. I grew up in Atlanta, GA where I dabbled in all sports as a young kid because my parents were simply trying to drain the energy out of me. I was the kid who was constantly bouncing off the walls & had to bring a ball with me everywhere I went to keep myself entertained. At the early age of six, I decided I wanted to focus on 1 sport & chose tennis. 

 

My stepdad, Grant Stafford, was my coach starting at 8 years old. He played on tour for 13 years and was not only top 50 in the world but had several top 10 wins including Pete Sampras, Jim Courier, Thomas Muster, Marat Safin, and Tommy Haas. To say I was learning from the best is an understatement. I began home schooling in 6th grade to completely dedicate myself to the sport for extra training hours and flexibility to travel throughout the U.S. and internationally. 

 

I’ve always loved singles and doubles for different reasons, but found myself to be a more dominant doubles player. I enjoy the fast-paced and instinctual aspects of it. Doubles is like a puzzle and if you have chemistry with your partner, it can be a dangerous and exciting combination. 

 

When it came to college recruiting, I knew I wanted to play in the SEC. Mark Beyers recruited me early on and drove to Atlanta to watch me practice and spent time getting to know me and my family. He went the extra mile and remained honest and authentic throughout the entire recruiting process. Mark had extra help behind the scenes from my cousin, Colby Bortles, who was a junior on the baseball team at the time. He confidently assured me that if I just visited, I’d be hooked. 

 

Sure enough, after spending 2 days in Oxford on an unofficial visit, I couldn’t even make it 20 minutes back to Atlanta before deciding I wanted to play for Ole Miss. I chose Ole Miss because of Coach Mark, Oxford’s Southern charm, and the undeniable gut feeling I am forever grateful for. To this day, it is still the best decision I’ve made! 

 

After 4.5 amazing years, I felt it was time to explore something outside of tennis. I accepted a sales position in Atlanta upon graduation and dove into a new chapter. Though I learned a lot, I couldn’t deny the burning passion and desire I had to get back into tennis & the town of Oxford that means so much to me. I feel beyond blessed and excited to embark on this new journey while surrounded by incredible people, making tennis and the town of Oxford even better!”